Mounting A Ripstrate

I have a Ripstrate, a safety device which is mounted to the table saw
fence. It has a pair of spring loaded rubber rollers which pushes the
stock against the fence and a pawl which prevents kickback. Its
essentially a pantagraph mechanism. My fence is the
"Unifence" (3-1/2" high). At that height the rollers do not extend
down to the table. The manual which came with the tool says it can be
used with the Unifence or the Biesemeyer. But the manufacturer has
since gone out of business.
Has anyone got the Ripstrate mounted to a Delta Unifence and can pass
along the way to do it?
Joe G

GROVER wrote:
> I have a Ripstrate, a safety device which is mounted to the table saw
> fence. It has a pair of spring loaded rubber rollers which pushes the
> stock against the fence and a pawl which prevents kickback. Its
> essentially a pantagraph mechanism. My fence is the
> "Unifence" (3-1/2" high). At that height the rollers do not extend
> down to the table.
<snip>
1) Have you tried using the low profile side of the Unifence extrusion?
2) You can always make a wooden spacer fence that accepts the
Ripstrake mounting and then bolts to the Unifence from some plywood.
Lew

Lew,
I didn't try the low profile side because there was no proper support
for the auxiliary fence. I drilled 5 holes through the tall side and
used dry wall screws to fasten a straight piece of 2" by 4" to the
aluminum. The Ripstrate device is wide enough that part of it extends
past the auxiliary fence and over the unifence. Its an old design
created when most wood workers were probably using Delta's pipe style
fence.
Joe G

replying to GROVER, George Harakaly wrote:
Regarding the ripstrate location along the fence.
Should it be behind the blade?
Should it be positioned so the center of the ripstrate is opposite the center of
the blade?

Is this the one with the black wheels and a metal bar that jams them
if they try to rotate backward?
I have one of those, and when properly adjusted it isn't supposed to
touch the table. You put a piece of stock of the thickness you plan
to rip under the wheels, then loosen the big allen bolt to allow the
wheels to hit the stock. Then you rotate the sleeve with the allen
bolt a little farther in the same direction to provide a little extra
tension. If you do it right, when there is no wood underneath, the
rollers will only be about 1/8 or less below the top of the board.
I probably have the instructions around somewhere, since, according to
SWMBO, I keep every $#@% thing. If you need them, email me.
HTH,
Paul
snipped-for-privacy@nopam.hotmail.com
(omit nospam)

Yes, thats the one, black wheels with the bar between them that jambs
to prevent kickback. I also have the manual and it says for the
Unifence & the Bies contact the manufacturer for additional info. I
did, and found that they were no longer in business. I thought someone
in the NG might have had those supplementary instructions.
As you suggest I used the socket screw and lever to adjust the spring
tension as far down as it would travel. But it wouldn't get tight to
the stock because the arms are not long enough.
The height of the Unifence causes the device to ride too high to
operate correctly.
Joe G

GROVER wrote: "and it says for the
Unifence & the Bies contact the manufacturer for additional info. I
did, and found that they were no longer in business. "
Mmm-hmmm!
That's typically what happens to a business that creates
a solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place. :O

I had one, wound up giving it away. I could not figure how to mount it on
my fence either. I finally decided that I really like to be able to pull
the stock back from the saw when things get tough. Cannot do this with the
ripstrate. I use a splitter now and think this is a better way to go.
Dave

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